Oscar buzz? Universal seems to know it has the potential Best Picture, and they are pulling out all the stops.
Damien Chazelle’s “First Man” will have its Toronto Film Festival premiere at the IMAX Cinesphere, a futuristic building that looks like it’s on the moon or is a space ship. All the press is being shuttled to the Cinesphere, which is not near the Festival. (Actually, we have no idea where it is, and neither will the Toronto cab drivers, so take the bus, kids!)
All the other Toronto movies will premiere in the usual — and very nice– theaters like Roy Thomson Hall and the Princess of Wales.
But Chazelle’s movie is the story of Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, in July 1969. Ryan Gosling, who starred in Chazelle’s much loved “La La Land,” plays Armstrong. The word I’ve heard from sneak advance screenings is that this is it, Oscar wise. Chazelle’s first two movies, “Whiplash” and “La La Land” have already made him a wunderkind. He’s 34 years old, although by the time of the Oscars, he will be acceptably old 35!
“First Man” is debuting right now in Venice. The review embargo lifts at 1:30pm Eastern. Social media reactions from press right now are excellent.
